As networks and distributed systems continue to evolve, new technologies are developed that enable businesses to expand their operations to a global market. As these businesses grow, the need for additional resources also grows. To address these concerns, businesses seek help from Data Center Managers (DCMs) that offer distributed and secure storage services to customers.
Conventional DCM configurations may use fibre channel switches for accessing storage systems dedicated to individual customers. Such configurations enable an DCM to control access to the information stored in the storage systems, thus protecting proprietary information from being accessed by unauthorized users (e.g., other DCM customers). Dedicating storage systems to individual customers, however, is costly.
Another drawback of conventional DCM configurations is the maintenance and service of the disk arrays that make up the dedicated storage systems. In certain instances, DCMs provide storage services by renting storage space from disk array vendors. These vendors typically require the DCM, or customer, to contact them when requesting certain configuration changes, such as adding storage space or reconfiguring data mappings. These problems are intensified when a business includes several departments that use dedicated storage systems provided by an DCM or multiple DCMs. In these instances, departments that manage their own storage systems, via their DCM, sometimes require additional information technology staff and expenditures. Further, such heterogeneous storage system practices may also result in problems in sharing resources between different departments.
Further conventional DCM configurations lack the infrastructure and capabilities to provide back-up copies of storage volumes during runtime operations. Moreover, conventional configurations cannot effectively maintain point-in-time copies of state information reflecting a state of a storage volume.